Birthday
by Kisles
Summary: Hope finally turns eighteen as Lightning prepares to give him the present of a lifetime. HOPEXLIGHT ONESHOT.
1. Chapter 1

_CHAPTER ONE _

Her eyes slowly drifted open, and the early morning sunlight broke through the sheer curtains covering the wide-paneled windows to the wall facing her. It must have been extremely early; the sun was just rising and the room was still dim. She then faced to the bare back of the body that was curled next to her, and smiled sweetly; today was Hope's eighteenth birthday.

Lightning leaned herself over Hope to see if he was awake. When she looked, he appeared to be sound asleep. Long white tufts of hair swept along his cheek. His breathing was steady and quiet, and he looked so peaceful. She'd never seen something look so beautiful before, and it was sleeping in her own bed. She leaned down and gently kissed his temple softly.

"Happy birthday, Hope."

*******************

Hope peeled his eyes open to a beautiful morning; The French glass doors had been kept open, and the draperies swayed with the breeze, sending a soft, charming breeze through the room. He could hear the small river behind the house ripple, and he felt dissonant warmth hit his bare chest. The bluest skies and the whitest clouds shrouded over the Pulsian sky that morning. He began to remember that previous night; he crept into her room, hoping not to wake her, which failed, and lay beside her, unmoving.

"Hope…?"

Intentions in mind, he then wrapped his arms around her in his embrace. She remained still and didn't move at all. It was as if she let him touch her… almost as if she _wanted _him to.

He turned his head to see no one lying beside him. The sheets were wrinkled and the pillow was crooked. Assuming she was already awake, he yanked himself out of bed, and picked his light t-shirt off the floor and slipped it back on. Ruffling his hand through his messy hair, he started towards the door and down the hallway to the everlasting awakening scent of bacon. Peering through the doorframe, there Lightning was, hovering over the fry pan full of snapping bacon. Her cotton shorts hugged her hips perfectly as her snug tank swam along her waistline. Her light, pink toned hair lay limp over her shoulders, swaying softly in the breeze from an open window. She hummed softly; her voice was milk and honey to his ears.

"Good morning," He chimed, rubbing his eyes. Surprised, Lightning jumped and began to chuckle softly.

"Hey! Happy birthday!" She smiled, continuing her flustered attempt to perfect the bacon. "Uh… We have a lot to do today. Your party is tonight, I have a ton of things to get done, and you have the day to do whatever. But you have to leave the house." Her voice was steady and certain; she held no restrain in her voice. He recalled to the night before, realizing that she acted like nothing happened.

"Um, okay." He cracked a small grin, feeling a rush of excitement over the party he was having tonight. A small group of close friends would be there. That's all he truly wanted. He walked towards the large kitchen table and sank into the nearest reachable chair. With Lightning's back to him, she proceeded preparing their breakfast. She retreated back and forth from the stove to the refrigerator. He watched her diligently as she hummed and mindlessly watched the television from across the kitchen into the living area.

"Light, do you need any help?" Hope asked, peering up to Lightning as she began to assemble the eggs. She aggregately sighed and replied,

"It's your birthday._ I'm_ making you breakfast."

"So? Let me help. I love helping you." He stood, and then watched her as she turned to face him, who had no redness to her cheeks at all.

After the two gladly prepared their breakfast, they sat down across from each other. Pleased with the meal, they ate deliberately, sharing small talk as they chuckled and argued aimlessly.

"So, what's the big one eight like?" She asked in a sarcastic tone, popping a forkful of hash browns into her mouth.

"Honestly, I do not feel eighteen. At all." He shrugged. "I still feel like a kid."

"You _are_."

"What?! Yeah right! Eighteen qualifies as an adult. Man. _Manly-hood_." He chewed on a mouthful of eggs, and then stuffed bacon into his cheeks, listening to Lightning's scoffing.

"You? A man? First of all, men don't stuff their faces with bacon while they're talking. You look like an idiot." Hope gulped down his food, raising his eyebrows in defense.

"Women don't call men idiots." He raised his glass of milk and sipped it silently as he stared at Lightning, who glared at him in disbelief.

"Really? Are you serious?"

"Yes!"

Lightning paused, and then sipped her milk. Licking the milk off her lips, she stared downward as her face contorted into a softer expression.

"Men _knock_."

Instantly feeling his face flush, he suddenly asked,

"What?"

"Last night." She responded coldly. Hiding his shyness, Hope filled his mouth with another helping of eggs.

"But then again…" She continued unexpectedly. "I don't think I would have let you in if you did." Lightning kept her eyes to her plate, slowly raising the fork to her lips. Hope scratched his scalp while his heart beat raced, and then slowed to a steady beat as silence filled the kitchen. Lightning exhaled and proceeded to stand.

"You go ahead and get ready for the day. I'll clean up."

Not wanting to annoy her, he simply nodded and headed towards the guestroom (where he was _supposed_ to sleep). His mind filled with thoughts, he took a long, hot shower, and then finished cleaning himself up. Gazing at himself in the mirror, he noted his appearance. Short, wisped white hair. Blue dress button-down shirt. Dark denim jeans. The norm, he thought. And then Lightning entered his mind.

He'd been living in custody with Lightning for the past four years ever since they'd awoken from their crystal sleep. She considered the idea after discovering that Hope's father hadn't evacuated out of Cocoon before the destruction. Both she and Hope agreed to the plan, and have lived in a well-accustomed house ever since. Lightning was literally his mother, and in a sense, their relationship was portrayed as this relationship. But sometimes, Hope wished she was something else.

She raised him from her soil. That was all Hope could really manage to name it; she was never romantic towards him. She was only kind and motherly, like a mother would expect. Hope rarely looked at Lightning and thought, "Mother", like he thought of his real mom. The only thing he could think of when he saw her, was simply… _Lightning._

Hope continued to address his hygiene. Opening a cabinet full of his necessities, he pulled out a toothpaste tube. Squeezing the tube onto his toothbrush, he was aggravated to see that there was no toothpaste.

_Lightning has some._

He appeared at her door soon, and this time, knocked.

No answer.

He slowly reached for the doorknob, his stomach churning at the thought of what his action's consequence may be. His mind retraced its steps to the previous night. In that instant, he turned it quickly and silently opened the door. Noting that no one was in the room, he heard a familiar noise: water. Lightning was taking a shower. Panicked, Hope stopped in his footsteps until all was silent except for the running water of a shower. He listened closely; she was humming a tune he'd heard before. He chuckled softly, grinning at the carpet as he continued to listen to the voice that kept his hopes up all these years.

But then, he noticed something else. The bathroom door was cracked open slightly. Tiptoeing quietly, he peered through the open crack, and all that his eyes met was her mirror attached to her vanity. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of something different. When he inched closer across the mirror, her back suddenly appeared. Instantly his body was sent backward. His whole body went numb; his face flushed entirely and his knees felt weak.

_Just one more look._

He inhaled deeply, and then peered once again into the bathroom. Her body appeared again, but this time, Hope kept his eyes put.

Hope couldn't decide if what he was doing was right or wrong. Needless to say, he continued to stare hopelessly at her impossibly perfect body. He was simply star struck at her pale features. Her hair was darkened as the water drenched it, sticking to her bare back. She raised her arms to smooth her hair, and tilted her head back to let the water fall down her front side. Thinking he'd seen enough, Hope quickly retreated out of the room speechless, picked up his keys, and left the house.

_The toothpaste will have to wait._


	2. Chapter 2

_**CHAPTER ONE**_

Looking beside her, Serah sighed and returned her gaze.

"Light, are you _one hundred_ percent sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah."

Opening the car doors, both Serah and Lightning stepped out and began to walk towards the building's front entrance.

"Snow's getting the house ready, right?" Lightning asked, pulling the glass doors open. Serah followed her and observed the inside of the building. It was quiet; no one seemed to be around, yet parked vehicles crowded the parking lot. She stared at Lightning's back as she started towards a door hidden in the corner.

"…Yeah." Serah stuttered, her stomach churning. "Lightning… are you su-"

"YES." Lightning scolded, turning around to face Serah, who had one hand hanging on the other's elbow. She hung her head down in embarrassment, and simply nodded.

Lightning's heart pounded while she signed her name on the space provided, her fingers almost shaking. She wrote her name slowly as her body heated. Serah, on the other hand, watched her as she nervously bit her fingernails. Her stomach was completely tied in knots. The larger man that sat at the desk across from the two drummed his fingernails on his desk. She slid the paper over to the man, who then nodded in approval.

_This is what I want._

"Alright, that'll be it. Just pay the fee and you can leave." The man spoke, his voice deep and profound. He handed her a copy of the form. Folding the copy of the signed paper, she tucked it into her purse. She stood and gave him the required gil, turned to Serah and gave her a soft smile.

"Ready?" She asked, picking up her purse as she threw it over her shoulder. Serah nodded. As they left the room, Serah fastened her pace to walk beside her sister.

"I can't believe it's already over." She said. "I could never imagine you wanting something like this."

_It's everything I want._

___**Two years ago**_

Lightning kept her eyes to the book, her eyes scanning the pages. Her body was wrapped in her favorite blanket. The fireplace was lit across from where she sat, and the rain trickled against the glass windows. The rest of the house remained dark. Hope had to be asleep already; it was past midnight. Her attention was shattered as she heard soft footsteps gradually increase in volume.

"Hope?"

He appeared into the warm glow as he dragged his feet to the seat next to her.

"Can't sleep." He muttered. Lightning gave Hope a sympathetic grin.

"The rain keeping you up?" she asked, her voice steady. He kept his eyes someplace else, not returning the favor. He pulled his knees to his chest, letting his feet push pressure onto the edge of the firm couch.

"Kinda."

After time passed, he turned his head to look at Lightning, who was yet still reading. He seemed to be wide awake now; his eyes were protruding green and his cheeks were flushed. He stared at her for a while as she read. Her eyes beamed low, the blue of them almost appearing to glow. The lashes on her lids were dark and long, and her eyebrows arched inward, emphasizing her focus on the book she read.

"Light?" He stuttered.

"Yeah?"

"…Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it." She put the book down and stared at the young man. Her straightforwardness startled Hope, and his confidence somehow deepened. Pushing through the temptation, he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Have you ever felt like… no matter how much you wanted something, you could never have it?"

"Yes." She responded flatly. He turned his head away and rested his chin on his knee, staring into the fireplace. "Hope, do you feel that way?"

"…Yeah."

Lightning kept her gaze on Hope. He never moved his eyes away from the fireplace. She lightly placed a hand on his shoulder and gripped it gently, massaging it for a quick moment sympathetically. "Everybody feels that way once in a while. You have to be grateful for what you have."

"But I want it so bad…" He responded. "It's the only thing I want."

"Don't be greedy, Hope." He shook his head and then sighed.

"I'm not greedy."

Silence began to stir between them. Curiousness entered Lightning's mind, although her interest might not have been in her place to know.

"What is it that you want so badly, anyway?"

Hope nervously turned his head to Lightning, and his cheeks began to flush to a subtle pink.

"You don't have to tell me." She suggested.

Hope began to stare at the fireplace again, scanning the flames as they crackled in the silence. He lowered his knees to touch the floor with his feet, and then began to stand.

"Goodnight." He proclaimed, and then started for the hallway. Lightning watched him deliberately as she felt a slight guilt rise in her stomach.

"Goodnight, Hope."

* * *

Pulling into the driveway, she sighed in relief at Snow's vehicle parked along the side of the lot. The sun was beginning to set, as Serah and Lightning had been getting last minute gifts all day, wrapping them and writing cards. Serah also convinced Lightning to go out and get a casual dress; Serah let everyone invited to the party know to wear something semi-formal. The two sisters took the shopping bags and gifts out of the vehicle and entered the house.

"Snow?" Lightning called, stepping into the kitchen. She nearly dropped everything in her hands at the sight of the house. It was completely decorated with balloons and "Happy Birthday!" fliers that hung from the ceiling. At the back end of the living area, a small table was put with a large upside-down cardboard box sitting on it. Suddenly, she felt a forceful push on her shoulder. Turning around, Snow gave her some ridiculous "proud" expression.

"Hope will be here in an hour." He paused. "Pretty awesome, huh?" Lightning chuckled, and set her things down on the table and began to unload them. Serah left the kitchen to turn on the sound system.

"It's actually really good, Snow. I gotta say, I'm impressed." She set down some of the gifts and looked around the room; the entire living room glowed with lights. It was a cheerful setting, suited perfectly for Hope.

"What's under the box?" She asked.

"Go see for yourself. It cost me a lot of gil, so be careful with it. And, uh… people are going to start showing up in about thirty." With Serah in mind, music began to play throughout the house.

Lightning started for the small table and lifted the box directly upward, being careful not to damage whatever was hiding underneath. As she lifted the box, her eyes widened in surprise. Setting the box down onto the floor, she took a few steps back to fully plant the image in her mind.

It was a tall, golden cake, littered with golden and green specks of glitter; it stood four tiers high, and the ceiling light just above the table shown on it like a spotlight. At the top of the cake was a large, green crystal. The texture of the cake was nearly that of a pear. It simply glittered in its own beauty; Lightning was no more than extremely pleased with it. One question entered her mind, though: How would a cake this big satisfy a few guests?

"It's perfect, isn't it?" Snow's voice suddenly appeared behind her. He stood next to her and crossed his arms. "I can't believe the kid is already eighteen." Lightning smirked.

_Kid._

"You should probably, err… go get ready." He suggested, noticing her eyes staying put on the cake. "Guests will be here soon."

His unexpected suggestion led Lightning to peer down at her current apparel: A rugged t-shirt with a pair of black fleece capris. Her eyes scanned Snow's apparel afterward, which was, as Serah described, semi-formal. Lightning blushed slightly, and then began to laugh quietly.

"Yeah, will do."

As she entered her bedroom with her dress in a shopping bag in hand, she quickly seized the fabric out of the plastic and lifted it in front of her gaze.

_What was I thinking…?_

The short, white cotton dress hung stiff in her fingers; the bust of the dress had pointed ends, followed by the thin straps attached to the back. The midriff was bound by a large, gold satin ribbon, and tied in the front. What remained of the dress simply flowed outward and hit the point just above her knees. "Perfect" was the word Serah used to describe it.

Undressing to her undergarments, she slipped on the dress and stepped into her bathroom, standing in front of the mirror attached to her vanity. She had to admit that the dress was extremely flattering on her, especially towards her muscular upper arms. The bow wasn't constricting at all and felt that it was surprisingly comfortable. A deep sigh left her mouth as she stepped out of the bathroom and searched for a matching pair of shoes. Unfortunately, she thought, had a pair of Serah's white heels she'd worn before and left them at the house. She estimated they were three inches high off the ground, and the print on the shoe was a simple floral pattern. Having the same shoe size as Serah set an advantage for the both of them, although at times like these, Lightning was a bit nervous to show the guests her feminine side. A sudden knock on her door made her jump.

"Light, are you almost ready? Sazh and Dajh are already here!" Serah yelled, and then retreated back down the hallway to greet the familiar guests. She heard Snow's traditional outbursts of laughter and greeting as both Sazh and Snow had always been friends. A high pitched yell was heard, and she knew it was Dajh's. The small boy was already seven years old.

Confirming her appearance, she left her bedroom and walked down the hallway. The music blared softly out of the surround speakers throughout the home, and heard vague voices coming from the kitchen. She lit her smile and confidently greeted the guests along with Dajh, who was busy marveling the cake. Soon, more guests started to pour in: Yuj, Gadot, Maqui and Labreau arrived, gifts in hand. Gadot carried a bottle of wine, presumably for the legalized Hope who was intended to have a fun night with his buds. They all wore semi-formal clothing that suited them well; Lightning almost felt over-dressed. Serah pulled Lightning aside and squealed in delight at how "adorably daring" Lightning looked as she returned the favor by simply stating that she looked "nice". Serah wore a dark blue high waisted pencil skirt that fell short just above her knees, and tucked in the skirt was a deep yellow button up. The sleeves met midlength to her elbows, and the cut of the shirt was decently low. Her hair was the same: pink side-tail and all.

After all seven of the guests were situated comfortably, Lightning suggested to Serah that the food would start being prepared. She agreed, and then called for Snow to help her out.

The upcoming meal was divine; Lightning knew Hope would love it. She sat down next to the others at the table, who were sipping glasses of wine, and poured herself a small glass. Sharing small talk with the others, the group was startled by a ring of a doorbell. Frantic, Lightning practically ran to the front door. As she approached the entry, she smoothed her hair and dress out quickly, then slowed her pace to a walk.

Hope's body trembled as he felt a trickle of sweat smear across the back of his neck. He couldn't shut the image of Lightning's soaked body out of his mind. He felt a sort of lust for her, but at the same time, he felt more of a heartfelt affection towards the woman. Lightning was the only person he could ever look up to besides Snow. After all, he was practically her son. His train of thought was then quickly diminished and his heart began to thump loudly as the door opened. Lightning stood in the doorway, meanwhile her lips widening as she smiled. Feeling the urge to get over with the welcomes, he abruptly pulled her into a warm, tight hug. Pulling away, he scanned her attire, marveling the way her white spring dress framed her flawless body. Her luminous pink hair was parted evenly on both sides of her shoulders. The curls looked loose and even some of the strands were straight; right away, he knew she'd done nothing with her hair that day. She was naturally _that_ beautiful.

"Wow, Light-"

Snow got a hold of him first, giving him a pounding pat on the back. All of the guests shared their dues with Hope, and afterward Serah began to serve the bowls of soup she'd prepared for him and the party guests. She made him his favorite soup: vegetable and meat chowder. As everyone grabbed their bowls, some retreated to the living room while others stayed in the kitchen, chatting to each other across the table. Lightning stuck around with Hope, sitting across from him in the kitchen as he inhaled his soup.

Hope really had grown up. Staring at him as he looked away, she noticed his profound differences from when he was young. Now, he was almost taller than Serah, and centimeters shorter than Lightning. His posture was very upright, and his body always looked clean. He was thin, but had muscle in his arm area and abdomen. His face was always attractive, and with the emerald green eyes he had, she couldn't help but feel admiration towards his beauty.

When they finished Hope's birthday dinner, Snow and Serah lead Hope to the small table in the living area. The others watched, as some of the guests gulped down their glasses of wine (Labreau, Gadot, and Yuj).

"What is this?" Hope asked, his eyes glistening. He placed his hands on the sides of the box and slowly lifted it.

"Now, be careful…"

"This is one of your birthday presents from me." Snow added.

As the cake was fully revealed, Hope was simply astonished. He turned to Snow and flashed a giant smile as the others also marveled the masterpiece.

"Snow, this is… Since when do you bake?" Hope asked, as the others laughed in response. Even Snow chuckled.

"Now, now, Snow didn't actually ba-" Serah retaliated.

"Cake time!" Snow yelled, interrupting his wife.

The entire house moaned in satisfaction from the delicious cake. Their stomachs were filled, while some stomachs, like Maqui and Dajh's, were still somehow empty. Hope drank a small amount of wine, while Lightning had already had a glass before. Snow suggested that it was time Hope opened his presents, and the group willingly sat in the living room, all circled in the couches around Hope. Lightning sat next to him as the rest of them chatted quietly. Dajh and Sazh piled all of the gifts next to Hope, while Lightning gave him a slight nudge on his side. The both of them shared small grins, and Hope picked up the nearest gift at his reach. It was small, and wrapped in yellow wrapping paper.

"That's from me. Don't mess with it." Gadot mumbled as his friends howled in reply. First, he opened the card, and then opened the gift: inside laid a metal, shining watch. He picked it up, and placed it on his left wrist.

"Thanks. This is really nice."

"You better wear it every day, or I'll-" Before he could finish, Lightning threw a pillow with reasonable force at his face. Attempting to dodge the pillow, he was bombarded with subtle embarrassment. "You're welcome, kid."

"Not so much of a kid now, is he?" Sazh suggested while Hope picked up the next gift. It was even smaller than the one before, and shaped of a rectangle that resembled that of a jewelry box. An envelope was attached underneath.

"That one's from me." Lightning informed, and then smiled to him as he mirrored her action. His stomach fluttered for a split second, his mind flashing back to the clear vision he witnessed that morning.

Hope peeled the envelope off. At the bottom of the envelope, Lightning signed his name in her handwriting. It seemed that no matter how minuscule her actions were, Hope managed to feel a slight acknowledgment of affection towards her. His thumb slid underneath a detached segment of the seal, and tore the adhesive across the envelope. He slid the card out and opened it.

_Happy birthday, Hope. _

_ This way, my heart will always be on your sleeve._

_ Love, Light. _

_ PS: I have another gift for you. I'll give it to you later tonight._

Hope's cheeks flushed as he put aside the card and tore away the wrapping paper to open the small box. He opened the lid, and then peered down at a small pendant nestling in a crumpled sheet of dark tissue paper. He picked it up and observed it closely; it was Lightning's necklace pendant bound to a pin. He turned his head to Lightning.

"It's wonderful." Hope told her. She took the pin from Hope's hand, and then took his wrist. She folded his sleeve back, and then pinned the pendant through so that the face of the metal rubbed smoothly across his skin. He turned his head and briefly smiled at her. The others ignored their interaction as the group chatted among each other. "Thanks, Light. This is sweet of you." He leaned towards her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek, then hugged her.

The evening quickly dimmed into the late of night, and the remaining two guests, who were Snow and Serah, were bidding their goodbyes to Hope. Snow gave him a prompt hug and pat on the back; afterwards, Serah lifted her heels to gently hug him in a friendly embrace.

"Take care of Light, will you?" She asked, releasing herself to lower her heels to the ground. Hope nodded as he answered her request, and then finally opened the door for them to leave. He shut the door behind them and leaned his back against the door.

"What a night…" he wheezed.

_It's not over yet._


	3. Chapter 3

**~Two Years Ago**

"I'll be right back." Serah announced as she pushed her seat out from under the table. She stood, and then walked into the interior of the restaurant. Snow lifted his cup of ice water to his lips, then picked up his sub sandwich and gladly bit into it. Lightning crossed her legs, meanwhile staring mindlessly down the street. The breeze was calm and soft, and the shade of the sun roof blocked out the bright sunlight. Couples sat behind and next to them at their tables, chatting away and munching on their delectable lunch.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Snow declared, biting another chunk of his sandwich into his mouth.

"Yeah."

"Something bothering you?" Snow asked out of the quiet. "You're quiet today." Lightning peered downward to her half-eaten plate of salad, then took her glass of juice and sipped it.

"Something's wrong with Hope."

"What's up?"

"Last night he asked me something, and it's been bothering me since." She admitted. "The question was random. And then, after I gave him my answer, he told me that he's been feeling that way."

"Well, what did he ask?"

"…He asked if I'd ever wanted something that I couldn't have." She paused. "I don't understand. I mean, I asked him what he wanted, but I just butted out."

"Maybe his parents?" He suggested.

"I don't know. For some reason, I feel like I _have_ to know." Snow sat his chin on the palm of his hand while he leaned his elbow against the table, staring out along the street.

"Oh. _Oh_." Snow turned his head to Lightning, and raised his eyebrows. "I think I know." He chuckled mischievously.

"You better tell me." She growled.

"You sure you wanna know, sis?" He asked. "Of course, it might be completely wrong, but I think I have a good hunch."

"Tell me."

"This might be a little weird, but… maybe he was talking about you. Now, I may be completely wrong… But, consider the thought." Snow shrugged.

Lightning's stomach fluttered. Of course she'd thought about it before, but never expected it to come to terms between them. Hope said he wanted "it" more than anything. Suddenly, she understood. Hope was her priority responsibility, and now she would pay the consequences; it was no wonder he felt that way. All these years she'd taken him into her own life, giving him chances and opportunities he wouldn't have had without her. It hit Lightning like a slap in the face; why didn't she think of this before?

At that point, Serah arrived at the table, taking her seat as she pushed her chair with herself forward. She alternated gazes at the two, who looked uncertain.

"So, what'd I miss?

******************

"Hope, come in here." Lightning called through the hall, awaiting Hope as he finished clearing the kitchen. He followed her voice to her bedroom, and then opened the door to step inside. The bedside lamp was turned on, and the rest of the room remained unlit. Lightning sat cross-legged on her bed with a folded piece of paper in her hand. She was wearing what she'd worn that morning, except now, her hair was pulled in a messy bun. "I have something for you."

Hope advanced towards her bed, and then silently grasped the folded paper she held out in her hand. Lightning kept her expression calm, meanwhile her heart beating hard against her chest. He jumped up on her bed and sat next to her. His heart's pace quickened as he studied the paper while he began to unfold it. He peered down at what appeared to be a whole list of paragraphs and small printed words. Assuming that the paper was some sort of contract, he skimmed over the text, which didn't make very much sense to him at all, and then his eyes reached the bottom of the page. Lightning's signature was printed on a former blank line, and then saw his own printed on another space next to it. He portrayed a puzzled look as he turned his head to Lightning, who pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She stared back at him, her face still emotionless.

"Light, what is this…?" Hope asked as Lightning sighed and looked away. Silence filled the room as she finally opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm unadopting you, Hope."

It took a moment for Hope to process the meaning of her words. His heart nearly skipped a beat as he felt constriction in his throat. He turned his head to stare at Lightning in disbelief. What did this mean? Did she not want him anymore?

"Light, why…? I don't understand…" His eyes began to swell with light tears, meanwhile Lightning keeping her stare from him. This is not the way she intended this to work out.

"It means exactly what it means."

Hope's tears finally traveled down his cheeks as he closed his eyes shut. He opened his eyes to stare blankly down into the paper as he read some of the important lines of text. Hope was an orphan all over again.

"Hope, please… stop crying."

"Why are you doing this?" Hope immediately responded, his voice now angered. "Why don't you want me anymore?" He turned his head to Lightning, whose face was covered in shyness and guilt. She remained quiet. "Answer me!"

"I _do_ want you, Hope. You don't get it, do you?" She asked sternly, now staring at Hope as his remaining tears left his eyes.

"So what, now you want me, but you're unadopting me? You're throwing everything away!" He raised his voice as his tears dried. Lightning bowed her head, gathering thoughts in her mind as to what to say next; she intended the unadoption to be their chance now that he'd turn eighteen. She leaned forward to touch his arm. He flinched his arm back, his eyes beading at her with anger, confusion and sadness. She sat back against the pillows burrowed against the backboard of the bed and folded her arms over her chest.

"I would never throw everything away, Hope. We've been through too much."

"But Light, why…?" He stuttered. He shifted so he sat comfortably, and then simply gazed at Lightning, waiting for an explanation. Lightning leaned forward again, this time cupping his hands with her own. Hope's surprise and anger lead to confusion, and was now changing into sadness and wonder. The image of Lightning that morning completely left his mind. His mind was now occupied with what had just happened, and now, he just wanted to know the truth. He gazed downward at their hands together, and he felt his stomach flutter as more questions began to rise.

"Look at our hands, Hope." She told him. "You finally have what you've always wanted, right here, _right now_." She let her thumb nuzzle the sides of his palms. His eyes rose to meet Lightning's, who looked at him earnestly. She was completely right; she was the one thing he wanted the most, and the one thing he couldn't have… until now. His cheeks flushed as he felt his heart soften from the anger.

"I… think I understand, now." He smiled up to her. "But… why the unadoption?" He wondered.

"Because, Hope…" she paused. "Mothers can't do _this_." And with that, she leaned in closer to Hope, taking her hands from his. She placed them underneath his jaw, and then lifted her chin to meet level with his. The emerald pigment in his eyes glistened from his leftover tears, only encouraging Lightning even more to take Hope all her own. Slowly inching forward, she let her lips touch his, slightly pursing them as she applied pressure. Hope's body instantly warmed as he let his eyelids cover his pupils, exhaling breath from his nostrils slowly, taking every touch from her as deliberately as he could. He lifted his hands and gently gripped her waist as Lightning parted her lips gradually. Her plush lips felt so warm and inviting; he parted his lips along with her and propelled them hard against hers. Lightning adjusted herself so that she sat on her bottom, meanwhile Hope wrapping his arms tightly around her. He hovered over her body, letting her lay on her back. He pulled his face away from hers, and gazed into her blazing eyes, meanwhile his knees straddling her upper legs. She smiled up to him, lifting her hand to caress his cheek. Her expression exhibited no likeness of restraint and only felt her heart beating against her chest.

"Light, are you sure you want to…?" He asked sheepishly. His cheeks began to burn, feeling the goose bumps on his arms deepen. Lightning nodded and studied Hope's features as his jaw clenched. He hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to do with her. He lowered himself downward as he kissed her cheek, and then switched to the next, gently caressing her neck with his hands simultaneously. He let his hands drift over her shoulders, and then glided his fingertips down to her palms. He kissed her lips softly as she found his fingers and intertwined hers with his. She let her eyes close as he pressed his lips harder onto hers, enjoying every minute of his physical attention towards her.

Lightning tightened her grip on Hope's hand. Her touch felt mesmerizing to him, and even as her breath exhaled onto his upper lip he ached and wanted her more. This birthday was definitely one he would never forget.

Lightning unraveled her hand from Hope's grasp as she reached for the lamp post nearby, twisting the light switch. The room instantly went dark and their breaths became louder as the entire house crept with its silence. Light from outside shown through the windows, and their faces became illuminated. Hope traced her jaw with his lips and reached her neck as his hands moved to her waist, his hands peeling underneath her snug tank. He stopped his hands a few inches forward and arched his back, letting his body move slightly forward over her.

"I love you, Light…" he breathed. His lips glued back to her neck. Lightning stared up to the unlit ceiling, hearing him say the words so passionately and easily, almost as if he'd waited forever to say them. She turned her head slightly and kissed his head, lifting her hands to stroke his hair.

"I love you, too." She whispered into his ear.

_It's everything we want._


End file.
